Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Western States Have Disproportionately High Suicide Rates For Veterans

Epidemiologist Rajeev Ramchand, who has a background in studying suicide, said there could be several factors that led to the results, including gun ownership, difficulty accessing proper health care and isolation from communities. Meanwhile, after a series of disappointments from its supercomputer Watson, IBM is counting on Watson's efforts with the VA health system.

The Hill:
High Suicide Rate Among Military Vets In Western US, Rural Areas
The western U.S. and rural areas of the country have seen the highest rates of suicide among veterans, according to a new study. Veterans in the western states of Montana, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico have the highest suicide rates in the country at 60 per 100,000 individuals, according to new data from a study by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), ABC News reported. This is compared to the national average of 38.4 per 100,000 individuals. (Delk, 9/16)

Politico Pro:
IBM Pins Its Hopes For Watson On VA Health System
IBM unveiled its Watson Health system in a blitz of hype in 2013, promoting it with an army of sales reps and even Super Bowl ads. But Watson’s artificial intelligence has failed to blow away doctors, a humbling experience for the company that hoped to “disrupt” health care the way competitors transformed other industries. (Pittman, 9/19)

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